The History, Culture, and Stories of Panama Elida Estate's Premium Single-Origin Beans

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The History, Culture, and Stories of Panama Elida Estate's Premium Single-Origin Coffee Beans

The Boquete region has always been the most noteworthy coffee-producing area in Panama, with numerous world-renowned estates within its boundaries—such as the Hacienda La Esmeralda, which rose to fame with the Geisha variety, as well as consistent Best of Panama winners like Hartman Estate, Mama Cata, Kotowa, Santa Teresa, and others. Elida Estate itself is also a heavyweight star estate in the Boquete region—having won Best of Panama awards for five consecutive years, with an impressive record second only to La Esmeralda.

Elida Estate covers a total area of 65 hectares, with more than half located within the Baru Volcano National Park. Of the estate's 30 hectares planted with coffee trees, the remaining 35 hectares consist of primary forest. The coffee is grown at altitudes ranging from 1,670 to 1,850 meters, making it one of the two highest-altitude coffee estates in Panama (the other estate with such altitude should be Carmen Estate, located in the Volcan Valley).

Coffee Culture and Market Preferences

In European and American markets, coffee beans are basically espresso blends—that is, Espresso (any blend of two or more coffee beans that are dark roasted can be called espresso coffee beans. Most espresso coffees rarely use high-altitude specialty coffee beans as part of the blend, and Europe and America are no exception), with single-origin coffees being quite rare! Not to mention estate specialty coffee beans. Europeans and Americans pursue rich, heavy flavors when drinking coffee (due to their dietary habits!), and they rarely drink single-origin coffee. Single-origin coffees are typically not roasted as dark as espresso, and their flavor profiles are not as intense as espresso. Therefore, these high-altitude estate specialty single-origin coffees are basically purchased by the British royal family and consumers in Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China. These customers, like their requirements for fine tea, demand not only the pure flavor characteristics of the origin but also the health benefits of coffee. In fact, many Chinese people have much higher requirements for product quality than Europeans and Americans, but due to various reasons domestically, it takes some effort to buy good products. Since Europeans and Americans mainly drink espresso coffee, it is very difficult to buy high-altitude estate coffee beans abroad.

The following coffee origins only represent some varieties. Some coffee-producing regions have very small annual harvests, and it's common for them to be unavailable. Customers often ask which coffee tastes best, but it's really hard to say as tastes vary widely. Many estate specialty coffees, because they need to preserve the characteristic flavors of their growing environment during roasting, are not roasted as dark as espresso coffee (the darker the roast, the more characteristics are lost). There will always be some acidity, but the better the coffee origin, the weaker the acidity, the purer the flavor, and the lower the bitterness. A truly perfect cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee embodies this perfect flavor profile.

Elida Estate's Unique Terroir

Thanks to Boquete's unique climate, with distinct dry and wet seasons, ample sunshine and rainfall, plus fertile soil formed from volcanic ash originating from Baru Volcano, Elida Estate's coffee cultivation quickly developed its own character. In 1929, the estate's coffee beans were first exported to Germany, earning a good reputation for Panamanian coffee. Over the subsequent three-quarters of a century, as a family estate, Elida's coffee cultivation continued to develop, establishing its international reputation.

The coffee here grows at an altitude of 1,500 meters, surrounded by a well-preserved natural tropical ecological park. The nearby Baru Volcano National Park and La Amistad National Park are both natural wildlife and plant sanctuaries. All these factors create the estate's unique microclimate and contribute to its distinctive flavor profile.

Coffee Characteristics and Processing

This coffee bean is fully washed processed, appearing fresh emerald green in color. The beans are full and lustrous, clearly indicating high-density hard beans. When roasted to a high level, distinct fruit aromas emerge, with juice-like sweet and sour notes that are bright and refreshing. Roasting slightly darker reveals vanilla sweetness blended with honey sweetness in the dry aroma, creating an intoxicating experience. At a high+ roast level, acidity decreases while body increases, sweetness significantly improves, and fruit acidity becomes more gentle and lively, with strong sweet sensations and rich fruit aromas still perceptible in the aftertaste.

Panama Chiriqui Province Boquete Elida Estate Coffee

Having always preferred the intense flavors of African beans, Central American beans had somehow become synonymous with mildness in my impression, whether from Costa Rica or Guatemala. Caribbean island coffees are even closer to being synonymous with "juice." But this Panama coffee truly gave me a pleasant surprise. The refreshing fruit acidity is clearly more vibrant than other Central American countries and closer to the sweet and aromatic flavors of fully ripe fruit. Upon tasting, beyond balance and clarity, the rich sweetness and slightly syrupy texture further enhance its smoothness and liveliness—aside from the floral notes and citrus flavors, the overall profile is not inferior to Geisha.

Cupping keywords: caramel sweetness, sweet, clean, balanced, medium body

Green Bean Information:

• Grower: Familia Chiari
• Region: Boquete Town, Chiriqui Province, Panama
• Processing: Fully washed
• Altitude: 1,500 meters
• Harvest Period: October to March
• Soil: Volcanic ash soil

Hacienda La Esmeralda was purchased by Price Peterson's father, Swedish-American banker Rudolph A. Peterson, who once served as president of Bank of America and was a major figure in the financial world of his time. Rudolph bought Hacienda La Esmeralda just for vacation and later retirement use, probably not expecting that this estate would become world-famous and even representative of Panama's specialty coffee estates. After Price took over, he divided the market into three major brands for sales based on altitude, microclimate, cupping performance, and cultivated varieties (Esmeralda Special, Diamond Mountain grows, Palmyra).

Palmyra (Rainforest Alliance certified) is a brand of coffee grown near the Baru Volcano Park area, planted entirely with Catuai varieties. It represents the typical Panama Boquete high-altitude coffee flavor profile with acidity that isn't too stimulating, featuring nutty sweetness and vanilla chocolate flavors. Palmyra is actually La Esmeralda's highest-yielding coffee, accounting for about 70% of the entire family's coffee production.

Elida Estate is located in the Boquete region of Chiriqui Province, Panama's western border province. The province's most famous landmark and tourist destination is the 3,300-meter-high Baru Volcano—Baru Volcano is one of the highest volcanoes in Central America. With a total area of about 14,000 hectares, it can be divided into 7 different microclimate zones based on altitude. Within the volcano's range, many rare plants, birds, and mammals inhabit. The Boquete region is located on the eastern side of Baru Volcano, a valley area formed by volcanic lava flows, adjacent to another famous Panamanian coffee-producing region—the Volcan Valley.

Baru is a young volcano at an altitude of over 3,400 meters, classified as an active volcano with seven different microclimate zones around it, nurturing rich and diverse ecosystems. The diverse microclimates have both advantages and disadvantages for coffee cultivation, but for Elida, its flavor is more intense than most Panama beans with more prominent aromas. Black berry aftertaste and complex flavor variations have become the main reasons why connoisseurs extremely love it.

However, high-altitude terrain also has disadvantages. For example, Elida's average coffee cultivation altitude exceeds 1,700 meters. The high altitude combined with low night temperatures means coffee plants take five years after planting before they can be harvested, making the waiting period extremely long. After entering the harvest period, coffee ripening often exceeds one month. If abnormal weather occurs before ripening, such as typhoons, heavy rain, or other irresistible factors, despite knowing it will cause significant losses, because the beans are not yet ripe, the insistence on quality means not rushing to harvest, leading to significantly reduced yields. The risks are actually much greater than for low-altitude estates.

Panama coffee is famous for La Esmeralda's Geisha, and the region where La Esmeralda is located is also quite famous—it's the Boquete region in Chiriqui Province. Boquete is a town in Chiriqui Province, located near the border between Panama and Costa Rica, close to the famous Baru Volcano. With beautiful scenery, fertile and rich soil, and climate and soil conditions perfect for producing quality coffee.

Awards and Recognition

Since 2006, Elida's selected batches have consistently ranked among the top winners of Best of Panama, with prices becoming increasingly premium year by year. Among Central American estates, Elida should be considered the most "Kenyan black berry-toned," with its black berry and persistent complex fruit flavors often leaving people full of praise. Reviewers also flock to Elida's unique "umami" flavor. This term comes from "Umami." Currently, many experts include "umami" as one of the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami). The effect of umami is similar to monosodium glutamate, enhancing freshness or used in foods like bone broth. Dried shiitake mushrooms, aged cheese, and kelp all reveal the presence of umami. Umami in coffee is related to good "aftertaste"—for example, having a long and pleasant aftertaste after sipping都属于鲜美味道的感受.

Elida's processing facility equipment and processing steps are all meticulously executed. Generally, when coffee cherries reach a certain stage of processing, if their moisture content exceeds 20% for an extended period, not only do the good quality components inside easily dissipate, but there's also the possibility of off-flavors developing. Additionally, since Elida's processing facility is still at high altitude, it has dedicated processing equipment to control temperature and timing during drying. This must be controlled precisely and is also a critical step affecting quality.

This batch uses natural processing methods, with the classic Typica variety. Typica: The oldest native variety from Ethiopia, grown in southeastern Ethiopia and Sudan. All Arabica varieties derive from Typica. It has elegant flavor but weak constitution, poor disease resistance, and low fruit yield. Excellent estate beans like Jamaica Blue Mountain, Sumatra Mandheling, and Hawaii Kona all belong to Typica. Typica has reddish-brown terminal leaves, called red-tipped coffee, and belongs to the Arabica species.

Elida Estate Details

Elida Estate has more than half of its area within Panama's national park reserve. It is a rare ultra-high-altitude estate in Central America, growing coffee between 1,700 and nearly 2,000 meters based on terrain feasibility, known for its main flavor profile of "intense, umami" characteristics.

Elida Estate belongs to owner Wilford Lamastus. This estate grows three varieties: Typica, Geisha, and Catuai, with nursery areas cultivating seedlings of these varieties. The journey to the estate is beautiful, and at 1,700 meters altitude, the air becomes cold and crisp, like walking in high mountains enjoying a forest bath while breathing very fresh air. The estate's terrain at 2,000 meters is steep and rugged, but after crossing the ridge line and reaching the saddle area, it's surprisingly flat open ground that can block the howling mountain winds. Wilford says this is the best place to grow Geisha!

Flavor description: Rich tropical fruits, strawberry notes, black plums, apricots, peaches, longans, intense fruit wine aromas.

Product Information:

• Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)
• Net Weight: 227g
• Packaging: Bulk
• Bean State: Roasted coffee beans
• Sugar Content: Sugar-free
• Origin: Panama
• Roast Level: Medium roast

Typica is a tall-growing cultivar of Arabica, originating from the Yemen to Java lineage, and began spreading in Java in the early 18th century.

It is Ethiopia's oldest native variety, with all Arabica varieties deriving from Typica. Typica has bronze-colored terminal leaves, with oval or slender-pointed beans. It has elegant flavor but weak constitution, poor disease resistance, and low fruit yield. Excellent estate beans like Jamaica Blue Mountain, Sumatra Mandheling, and Hawaii Kona all belong to Typica.

Its plant is very similar to what we call Java today, with bronze-tipped young leaves, large fruits and seeds, very low yield, and susceptibility to all major pests and diseases.

Brewing Instructions

Hand-poured Panama coffee: 15g of coffee, medium grind (using Fuji grinder with ghost tooth burrs at setting 4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water, let bloom for 27 seconds, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g. Avoid the final tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Coffee Details:

• Panama Boquete Elida Typica Natural
• Country: Panama
• Grade: SHB
• Region: Boquete
• Roast Level: Medium roast
• Processing: Natural
• Variety: Typica
• Flavor: Rich tropical fruits, strawberry notes, black plums

Panama Overview

• Population: 3,406,000

Panama's regional coffee definition is based on how coffee is produced rather than geographical divisions. Previously, when coffee was more widely cultivated and the regions listed below were smaller and more closely clustered, their coffee beans could be combined as one unit.

BOQUETE

The Boquete region is the most famous Panama coffee-producing area. Its mountainous terrain creates many microclimates. Relatively cool weather and frequent fog help slow the maturation of coffee cherries, which some believe resembles high-altitude climate conditions.

• Altitude: 400-1,900m
• Harvest: December-March
• Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

VOLCAN-CANDELA

This region of Volcan-Candela produces most of Panama's food and some amazing coffees. The region is named after Baru Volcano and the city of Piedra Candela, bordering Costa Rica.

• Altitude: 1,200-1,600m
• Harvest: December-March
• Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

RENACIMIENTO

Renacimiento is a coffee-producing region in Chiriqui Province, bordering Costa Rica. The area itself is quite small, so it's not one of Panama's main specialty coffee-producing regions.

• Altitude: 1,100-1,500m
• Harvest: December-March
• Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

Estate Information:

Elida Estate is located in Panama's western border province—Chiriqui Province (Boquete). The province's Baru Volcano is one of the highest volcanoes in Central America, and its fertile volcanic soil provides optimal nutrients for coffee. Baru Volcano has seven different microclimate zones based on altitude, with national park protection prohibiting human development and hunting, protecting rare and precious plants, birds, and mammals. Elida Estate covers approximately 65 hectares, with half located within the national park. Only 30% of the estate grows coffee trees, while the remainder consists of primary forest.

• Coffee Region: Panama / Boquete
• Estate Founded: 1918
• Estate Size: 65 hectares
• Cultivation Area: 30 hectares
• Planting Altitude: Approximately 1,850 meters
• Grading Standard: SHB
• Coffee Varieties: Typica
• Soil Type: Volcanic soil
• Annual Temperature: Average 20°C
• Annual Rainfall: Approximately 2,400mm
• Processing Method: Natural process
• Harvesting Method: Hand-picked
• Certifications: Shade trees/Bird-friendly

Award Records:

• 2015 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 4th place
• 2014 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 3rd place
• 2013 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 6th place
• 2010 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 6th place
• 2009 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 5th place
• 2008 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 10th place
• 2007 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 3rd place
• 2006 Best Of Panama - Natural Process: 13th place

Panama Elida (Natural)

Elida Estate has more than half of its area within Panama's national park reserve. It is a rare ultra-high-altitude estate in Central America, growing coffee between 1,700 and nearly 2,000 meters, famous for its main flavor profile of "intense, umami" characteristics. Elida Estate's flavor is more intense than most Panama beans with more prominent aromas. Black berry aftertaste and complex flavor variations have become the main reasons why connoisseurs extremely love it. Elida Estate is a consistent winner in the Best of Panama competition.

Cupping Notes:

Distinct black berry flavors are evident upon entry, very clean and full, with good oily texture, well-integrated sweet and sour sensations, high-altitude tomato flavors, and persistent oily texture.

Important Notice :

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